Early morning, March 19, 1995, Delvinaki, Ioannina. Police officers pursue and immobilize two vehicles near the Greek-Albanian border. The seven passengers are immediately arrested. They had turned the trunks into an arsenal. According to “Rizospasti” (21/3/1995), six Kalashnikovs (made in China), 30 magazines with 897 bullets, two pistols with three magazines and 40 cartridges, two knives, one bayonet, one fence cutter, binoculars were located and confiscated , camera, nine trousers and eleven military camouflage jackets.
The country is shaken by the journalistic revelations, which combine secret services, a nationalist-paramilitary organization with origins in 1942, the bloody provocation a year before in the Archdiocese and foreign policy tightrope walk. Then, therefore, Fotis (now known as Fredi) Beleris first introduced himself to Greek public opinion, being one of the “seven of MAVI” who were preparing “provocations at the borders” (“Eleftherotypia”, 25/3/1995), with the prevailing scenario to concern a new strike on the Albanian camp of Logos. The remaining six were George and Charalambos Pappas, Marios Koutoulas, Apostolos Karvelas (former police officer), George Christou and George Anastasoulis, who was described as the “brains of the group” by the then Minister of Public Order Stelios Papathemeli.
MABI is re-introduced
The developments were stormy. The searches at the house of the former reserve lieutenant G. Anastasoulis resulted in the confiscation of technical instructions for the manufacture of incendiary devices and a copy of the declaration of the Northern Epirus Liberation Front (MAVI), which claimed responsibility for the attack on April 10, 1994 in the Albanian camp of the Archdiocese. Then two Albanian soldiers were killed, at least three others were wounded, 15 Kalashnikovs and two boxes of bullets were stolen, while the provocateurs also took an officer prisoner, who was later released in handcuffs.
According to Hot Doc (issue 113), MAVI had initially taken responsibility for the particular attack with a phone call to “Eleftherotypia”, but in October of the same year it came back with a new announcement and a photo depicting both the weaponry and the organization’s flag. Following a request from the Greek authorities, the Albanian government sent the numbers of the weapons stolen from the Archdiocese, which proved that they were the same weapons possessed by the seven, upgrading their indictment from illegal importation, possession and transfer of war material to importation and theft of weapons from Albania, insulting the international peace of the country and exposing Greek-Albanian relations to danger.
When the seven were caught with Kalashnikovs in their trunks, ELAS proceeded to arrest one more person. This is Angelos Kokavesis, a relative of the founder of MAVI Ath. Kokavesis. That day he had visited his uncle’s house in Pallini and took a military sack with camouflage uniforms of the LOCK, which he buried in a nearby grove. In his uncle’s house, the authorities dug up six Kalashnikovs, while a few days later – as part of the investigations – other weapons of the same type were found buried in the Kesariani cemetery.
“Agents of Foreign Powers”
Andreas Papandreou appears angry. He speaks of “clear provocations”, ordering a “thorough investigation”. The first reaction of St. Papathemeli was quick to describe those arrested as “agents of foreign powers”, who wanted to dynamit the diplomatic rapprochement between Greece and Albania after the visit of the then Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias to Tirana. “The rapprochement of the two countries disturbed both Turkey and Skopje and certainly some patrons of both countries. The seven had in mind to commit acts that would put the relations of the two countries to the test” declared the minister in charge at the time, not even ruling out a connection between the provocateurs and the deposed monarch Constantine Glyxburg.
At the same time, other scenarios were being circulated. For example, the seven were agents of Albania, who again intended to derail efforts to normalize Greek-Albanian relations. On March 21, i.e. two days after the arrest, “Ethnos” published a headline: “KYP agents the provocateurs”. According to the newspaper, KYP agents had financed and created MAVI and other parastatal organizations. “The organization was created about four years ago, it recruited people from all over Greece, but mainly from North Epirus. He had the direct cooperation and support of the group of American Northern Continents, who promoted the idea of the autonomy of the Northern Continent,” the report noted.
The next day “Eleftherotypia” takes the case a step further. “Investigation in KYP and retired officers” was the “hit” on the front page, explaining that “the authorities are sure that the tentacles of MABI are spreading to KYP officials and retired officers”. “Eleftherotypia” also highlighted the suspicious role of the employee of the Greek embassy in Tirana, Panagiotis Moulieris, who was recalled to Athens because he was caught carrying stickers of slogans of the fascist newspaper “Stohos”. On April 22, “Ethnos” names some of the goals of the organization on its front page. “Six goals of MAVI in Greece” is the title, which is framed by the names and photos of the Kars. Papoulias and Nikos Constantopoulos.
Absolute contrast
The Papandreou government’s reactions to the arrest of the seven compared to the provocation of the Archdiocese are diametrically opposed. Both “Eleftherotypia” and “Ethnos” observe and record the divergent government reaction with headlines such as “MAVI: Apocalypse me… delay” or front page highlights that presented the government “determined to dismantle today” MAVI. The evidence leads again to the murderous raid of the MAVI on the Albanian recruit camp in 1994. The strike did not occupy the public debate with the same intensity, while Greek-Albanian relations were broken.
The arrests of five members of the minority organization Omonia by the Albanian authorities contributed to this, which brought them to the dock with charges of treason, espionage, preparation for rebellion and undermining national security and the state. The trial of the five provoked multi-layered retaliation from Athens, which ranged from mass deportations of migrant workers from Albania to freezing the processing of a Foreign Ministry bill dealing with the legalization of workers from Albania. At the same time, “Auriani” publishes bellicose headlines: “We will enter Albania” (14/04/1994), while fascist leaflets, such as “Stohos”, call for Albanian blood.
As mentioned above, in October 1994 MAVI sends a notice to “Eleftherotypia”. Specifically, on the 6th of the month (the date is important), the paramilitary organization succeeded against the “state of Athens” which reacted weakly to the “non-Hellenization policy” of the post-Hoxha treaty. He describes step by step the attack on Ano Episkopi, attributing the “victory” to the Greek fallen of the Albanian front and criticizing “the dictatorial Berisha regime” for the “parody trial” of the five. Despite the fact that MAVI has opened its papers within Greek borders, St. Papathemelis sings the song. A few days after the announcement, KKE MPs Orestis Kolozof and Stratis Korakas submitted a question to the then Minister of Public Order, requesting information on the data the government has collected on the paramilitary organization and the measures it intends to take to deal with it.
On October 26, the then Deputy Minister of Public Order Sifis Valyrakis answered the question of the two MPs, causing more questions than those he was asked to answer. “We inform you that relevant investigations were carried out on the matter referred to, from which no evidence was found to confirm the existence of an organization with the mentioned brand name. The whole issue is being monitored with the imposed seriousness and sensitivity” was his laconic answer at the moment when MAVI had not only clarified its intentions through the proclamation, but had been known to the authorities for a decade already. On June 24, 1983 – again under PASOK rule – an improvised explosive device exploded in a vehicle belonging to the Albanian embassy, which was parked in front of the embassy. The responsibility had been assumed by MAVI with a notice found in the Orfeos gallery, with home searches or tests of suspects by ELAS being fruitless.
A “clearance” opportunity?
The glaringly contradictory management of the Papandreou government between the provocation of the Ano Episkopi and the arrest of the seven in Delvinaki was interpreted by many as a presumption that PASOK proceeded with organizational expansion within the EYP by targeting far-right, “blue” or even “Mitsotak” elements.
Everything is captured in the dualistic scheme “Good CYP vs. Bad CYP”. Reflecting the situation and possibly the government’s aspirations, “Ta Nea” a few twenty-four hours after the arrest of Beleris and the other six are circulating with the title: “The KYP… interrogates the KYP”. “Certain activities of MAVI (propaganda of positions, inscription of slogans, recruitment of members) were carried out with the support – moral and material – of specific agents of the EYP in the area of Ioannina” is an indicative excerpt from the relevant newspaper report on 21/3/1995, in which there was talk of the connection of persons of the service with “extremist circles of the northern continent, as well as foreign secret services”.
The Voridis testimony and the trial
The catalyst for the outcome of the case seems to have been the testimony of Makis Voridis (yes, the acquaintance) to the competent investigator. The current Minister of State testified that – according to St. Papathemeli – “brain” G. Anastasoulis could not be in Ano Episkopi on the night of the attack because on the same day he attended the founding conference of the Hellenic Front at the Hotel Divani – Zafolia, which was included – according to the reports – in the prosecutor’s will.
Although the case seemed bound up with unassailable evidence that had led even the then prime minister or the then minister of Public Order to use harsh characterizations against the defendants, the then Deputy Prosecutor of Appeals Eleftherios Patsis overturned the facts, questioning the existence of MAVI (!), judging that the proclamation was not authentic and the identified weapons that had been stolen from the Archdiocese could not have been imported from Albania because they were placed in a Greek bag.
The prosecutor’s office opened the prison door to the seven pretrial detainees, with their trial being held behind closed doors for national reasons in February 1997 on the charge of arms smuggling as a misdemeanor, not a felony. Perhaps this is the only trial in the history of the Third Hellenic Republic that is conducted under this regime for a misdemeanor crime. The bench’s verdict was a suspended sentence of up to four years, which they appealed and were found guilty again. The best, however, was the reaction of defense attorney Filoklis Asimakis after the trial. “Long live MAVI” he shouted, with the judges having left the room of the Three-member Criminal Appeal Court of Athens (“Rizospastis”, 21/2/1997).
“The dead are justified”
“Obviously, the government was in a hurry to take a position on facts that were disproved by the investigation of the Justice” answers M. Voridis in Documento in relation to the characterization of the seven as provocateurs by the Papandreou government. He pleaded ignorance as to whether they had a connection with the secret services, while to the question of why the advocate shouted after the end of the trial, “Long live MAVI”, he countered: “The dead deserve justice”.
#Beleris #MAVI #Kalashnikovs
